File Save As overwrites existing without warning

[digger]

Apparently no-one has spotted this, or maybe I just couldn't find it...

After long experience I've developed the habit of saving pages "in progress" with different names as development progresses so that I can go back to an earlier point and try a different tack. When I get to a point where I'm happy with what I've got, or a "checkpoint", I save the page with the "real" name - i.e. the one I'll be using in live - and carry on from there.

Obviously the page with the real name already exists, because it's where I started, so when I do this I kind of expect the File Save As to say something like "realpage.htm already exists. Do you want to overwrite it?"

It's only polite after all, it's what other well-behaved programs do, and it protects you from accidental mouse clicks (or cats walking across your keyboard :rolleyes: ).

No FP2006 though, oh no. It just silently overwrites the existing file. Ouch.

[Galactic]

...expect the File Save As to say something like "realpage.htm already exists. Do you want to overwrite it?...FP2006.just silently overwrites the existing file. Ouch.
In MS Word, File Save As does ask if I want to overwrite the existing file, but I have just clicked on the file from the list of files present, so it is pretty obvious that the file already exists. You are correct, 1st Page 2006 3.0 does not ask. I give a work around in the third paragraph.

You are already aware, I believe, that the most pressing issue concerning 1st Page and Evrsoft is the apparent, documented and untimely absence of the developer of the program, whose screen name is Admin, from these forums and Evrsoft. Further, no one has appeared even claiming to act on Admin's behalf. Compared to this, the matter you raise seems minor to me.

Work Around: Save the original as MyFileV060218, then save that as MyFile-Edit1. At this point MyFile-Edit1 is same as two other files. Make some changes. Save the file. Now MyFile-Edit1 reflects the intermediate edits. Save the file as MyFile-Edit2. Do more editing. And so forth. As you are a cautious person, saving edits under different names as you go along, this only adds one more step to the process. Second level of protection. Put dated saved versions of MyFile in a Version sub-directory. Put the Edit versions in an Edits in Process sub-directory. When you are finished and happy with the work, save the file as MyFileV060218b in the version sub-directory. As the last step, save the file as MyFile in the main directory. The next time you proceed to do an edit, begin by Opening MyFile. No need to save that version in the version file, it is already there. Otherwise proceed as before. The advantage of the last suggested step is that you have not opened the archive copy of the current version, it is even in a different directory, and it would require a mistake to accidentally save a newer version of the file under that archived name.

I often do not ponder every information permission window that a program routinely opens before clicking on OK, please do what I asked you to do, and I am not sure that even if the last change information permission window were to open that it would save me from myself if I was on the verge of saving a file over the name of an important file.

Regular backups of important PC documents are advised but often not done. Many would say do daily and weekly backups, I have a second hard drive installed for the backup. No it is not a RAID array. Mike Lin's free backup utility manages that process in the background for me. I have this setup for my media files but I do not have it setup for my key document directories and my email documents. Memo to self: Do this soon. :)

[digger]

In MS Word, File Save As does ask if I want to overwrite the existing file, but I have just clicked on the file from the list of files present, so it is pretty obvious that the file already exists. You are correct, 1st Page 2006 3.0 does not ask. I give a work around in the third paragraph.
It's not just MS Word, in fact ALL MS applications behave this way, as well as the overwhelming majority of other applications I have used, and believe me that's a lot of applications. It is quite simply the way well-written programs behave. It is what most users will expect. You say, with a hint of sarcasm, that you "have just clicked on the file...so it's pretty obvious it exists." So you have never clicked on the wrong file by mistake? Lucky you. Not everyone is so accurate with their mouse or so perfect in their selections. A confirmation prompt would save you from possibly losing hours of work. Never mind backups - even daily backups usually run overnight and I do most of my work late afternoon and evening. Overwriting a file at the end of the evening can still lose 4-6 hours of work.
You are already aware, I believe, that the most pressing issue concerning 1st Page and Evrsoft is the apparent, documented and untimely absence of the developer of the program, whose screen name is Admin, from these forums and Evrsoft. Further, no one has appeared even claiming to act on Admin's behalf. Compared to this, the matter you raise seems minor to me.
Are you saying that because of the "most pressing issue" (according to you) no-one should post information about other bugs? This is a forum for bug reports, I noticed what in my opinion is a bug (or at least extremely idiosyncratic and unexpected behaviour), and I posted it. What was I supposed to do, wait until Admin comes back?
Work Around: Thanks for taking the trouble to document your workaround. There are any number of ways to achieve this, my point was I shouldn't have to.
I often do not ponder every information permission window that a program routinely opens before clicking on OK, please do what I asked you to do, and I am not sure that even if the last change information permission window were to open that it would save me from myself if I was on the verge of saving a file over the name of an important file.No? Well it has saved me many times.

[Galactic]

...This is a forum for bug reports,...
Digger, you are right. (More on this at the end of this post)

The following are the two ways that I inadvertently bypass the MS aps file overwrite protection..

1) If I am modifying an existing document, perhaps even making very extensive modifications, MS aps lets me save to the original file name without a warning. Although the aps provide automatic backup, if I switch it on, It only preserves what has been typed my last save.

2) On my PC I have set up the mouse preferences so that a file is selected by mouse cursor hover and is opened with a single click. Unfortunately, the file does not select fast enough. When my cursor is over a file name in a "save as" menu that happens to be the same file name as my open document, too often I habitually click on the file thinking I am only selecting it. Of course the document immediately overwrites the original file.

Why would I be doing this? Sometimes, this last happened to me yesterday evening; I want to select a file to make a small change in the name, usually by changing a date code or suffix. Yes, I could disable my unusual selection of mouse action, but I keep thinking I will catch on. In principle eliminating the need for a double click makes the mouse more efficient.

For the reasons noted, I am not consistent enough to receive good file overwrite protection from MS aps and other standard behaving programs. They work for you and I expect they work for many others.

Your suggestion is a good one. Even if it were something that I did not feel important or needed, though, that would not be a reason to post that feeling as a forum response/comment. A program developer will make good decisions as bugs and feature requests are brought to their attention. The important thing is that all the users bring all the things that are not quite right or could easily be better for consideration.

I like the concept that if we all act as though things are working OK with Evrsoft and these forums, and we post and respond accordingly, that possibly things will turn out to be working OK. For a couple of days or so I was not acting that way. Keep posting. It will encourage others.

You new forum members who have never posted, you really should take the plunge. Try starting in the “after hours forum”. Consider reading my recent post there for inspiration. The rest of you us, if a new member posts something, consider replying. :)

Digger, thank you for posting a response in a way that caused me to think through all of this for the better part of a day. Your response has helped me. I apologize and regret any concerns that my prior post could have caused you. This exchange has helped me but good exchanges are win / win.

[BillSamuel]

It is nonstandard behavior which can result in an unintended result. It's not a big deal to work around if you know that's the way it's set up, but if it ever gets back into development, it should be changed to work the way Save File As customarily does.